The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) are reportedly considering whether to scrap the offside rule for its leagues in what would be one of football’s biggest rule changes.
According to Reuters, the decision would be taken in order to attempt to reduce the number of violent incidents caused by ‘disputed decisions’.
It is claimed that 1,864 matches across Dutch football were halted due to those incidents – a 58 per cent increase over a five-year period.
Many of those cases are said to involve abuse towards officials, and in particular assistant referees.
The situation is said to be so serious that the KNVB are reportedly willing to take serious actions – and it could eventually change the way football is played in the Netherlands.
KNVB director Jan Dirk van der Zee stated that the governing body were refusing to rule out a decision that would see assistant referees no longer be used – in turn eradicating the offside rule.
He said: “We have a problem, and we want to eradicate it. I do not rule out that we will one day stop using assistant referees.”
It is added that any plans to scrap the offside rule would only apply to the amateur game at the moment, and not to the professional leagues in the Netherlands.
In the country’s amateur football system, assistant referees from the KNVB are not provided. Instead, games are officiated by members of the home club, with the governing body believing that removing them could help to stop the high numbers of matches being stopped.
But the professional game is not without issues.
Last year, the Dutch government made a statement over the growing concern of violence in the Eredivisie, which resulted in several AZ Alkmaar fans attacking West Ham supporters before their Europa Conference League semi-final.
Dutch Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgoz ordered an urgent investigation after Ajax midfielder Davy Klaasen was hit on the head by a lighter from the stands, and said in a letter to Parliament: “Football violence is a multi-headed monster that’s not easy to eradicate.”
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